Meet Our Teams
We are a service-oriented Department with staff on-duty and ready to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Familiarize yourself with our subdivisions, staff and Organizational Chart so that you know who to contact in a time of need.
Chief Courtney Tassin
Courtney Tassin serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief of Campus Safety at the University of Denver, where she leads the Department of Campus Safety and works to foster a campus environment where students, faculty, and staff feel safe, supported, and connected. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Threat Manager and holds a master’s degree in forensic psychology from the University of Denver. Before joining DU, Chief Tassin served as a Domestic Security Strategist with the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), supporting behavioral threat assessment and targeted violence prevention efforts across a seven-state region. She previously spent several years with the City of Aurora, Colorado, where her work included leading crisis response and violence prevention programs, conducting behavioral threat assessments, and responding alongside first responders as a crisis clinician. Her background as both a therapist and threat assessment professional shapes her approach to campus safety, with an emphasis on building relationships, recognizing concerns early, connecting people with support, and creating a community where safety and care go hand in hand.
Outside of work, Chief Tassin enjoys spending time with her two golden retrievers, visiting local farmers' markets and being a therapist for first responders.
Deputy Chief Joe Samels
Deputy Chief Joe Samels has been with the Department of Campus Safety since March, 2025. Prior to arriving at DU, Deputy Chief Samels spent 20 years with the Metropolitan Police in Washington, DC and 5 years with the Takoma Park (MD) Police.
Deputy Chief Samels earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Management with a specialization in Criminal Justice Management, also from the University of Maryland.
Deputy Chief Samels is a member of the training cadre for the National Tactical Officers Association and trains SWAT teams in tactical response, and trains police leaders in critical incident management.
When he is not working, Deputy Chief Samels enjoys working out and staying fit, is a rabid Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Steelers fan and makes legendary chicken wings.



